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September 18, 2018

Smart digital development means using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve people’s lives, said Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), in a video interview.

‘We have to make sure that we use ICTs to facilitate the future of the humanity.’ – Brahima Sanou, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

“When you look at the situation of the ICTs today in the digital economy, we need definitely to use them to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals,” he says.

People-centered approach

Leveraging ICTs to support sustainable development efforts requires a “people-centered” approach, Sanou says.

“We need to work to give a human face to the ICTs,” he says. “How can we do that? We have to use the ICTs to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals in agriculture, in education, in health, and also, to make sure that we create value to our societies and our communities.”

A second product is a report on national cybersecurity guidelines, Sanou says.

“As we go into the digital economy, as everything relies on the ICTs, we need to have a secured cyberspace for business, for our children, for our communities,” he says.

The m-Powering Development Initiative Report 2018: turning opportunities into reality was also launched at Telecom. “As you will see from the many initiatives and projects described in this report very real progress is being made. As a result, the lives of millions are being changed for the better in countries around the world,” he highlights.